In reading Romans 12:3 some persons think all men including the unconverted have faith (because they think faith is believing but faith is the revealed truths of God). I quote Rom.12:3 " For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you [it did not say every man that is among the world], not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every -man- (man not in the greek) the measure of faith." This text is referring to the converted or the household of faith according to Gal.6:10. Gal 6:10 tells us: "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith”. Thus faith is not had by everybody. Furthermore 2Thes.3:1,2 tells us to pray that we may be delivered from wicked and unreasonable men for all men have not faith. And a simple look at the texts after Romans 12:3 shows the context of the all men who are given a measure of faith. Rom12:4-6 "For as WE have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith". The “all men” in verse 3 is the ‘we’ in verse 4-6 that is the members of the one body in Christ, and we are told that gifts are given to them according to the proportion of faith. This clearly shows that faith is given in measure to all men of the church and not the whole world of people.
Jude 3 tells us contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. So the faith is not a commodity that one is born with but is obtained when the faith is delivered in becoming a saint. Furthermore we are told without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.11:6). So the unconverted man is not able to please God until he receives the word of faith in the gospel (Rom.10:8-17). Rom10:15 & 17 tells us how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace ... for then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Thus again we see faith is delivered in the gospel to the saints at a time. Before man receives faith all his works are as filthy rags Isaiah 64:6, Rom10:31-32 we are told Israel did not attain to the law of righteousness, because they sought it not by faith, again showing truly righteous works are only obtained when one receives faith. James 2:20 tells us faith without works is dead, this speaks of true faith producing righteous works that is pleasing to God for God is the producer of the works being the the author and sustainer of the faith, verse 21 even tells us Abraham was justified by works when he offered up His son Isaac. And James 2:18 tells us faith is seen by works i.e. righteous works. Thus faith is given to a person in becoming a saint at a point in time that they may do righteous works, showing forth the faith that is in them due to receiving the gospel or the word of truth according to Eph.1:13.
Again Eph.2:8 tells us we are saved by grace through faith, and not of yourselves (believing is of ourselves), it is the gift of God (which faith- the Holy Spirit revealed truths is – a gift). Thus brethren let your doctrinal belief of what is faith be that which is of revealed truths that is once (just now) delivered unto the saints, and revealed by the Holy Spirit in the scriptures. The doctrinal positions of men as popular as they may be, for as long as they maybe, many times do not meet with God's approval for spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1Cor.2:14), and only those who are truly willing to do His will shall have the discernment of the Spirit of Truth (1Cor.12:10,12,16) that they may know whether the doctrine is of God or whether it is of man (John 7:17). Amen.
ADDITIONAL POINT 1
" THE WORD "MAN" NOT IN THE GREEK". In checking Rom.12:3 with a Greek interlinear you would see the phrase " God hath dealt to every man a measure of faith" is actually in the greek translated " to each as God divided a measure of faith". - the word "man" is not in the Greek. See the George Ricker Berry "The Greek - English New Testament" or simply check an on-line interlinear. Thus it is easier to see the context of Rom.12:3 is that God has divided to each a measure of faith. The word "man' is not in the greek to think "each of humankind, is given a measure of faith". Thus the context of the each is based on the context of the previous phrase "to everyone that is among you". We are to interpret the phrase 'God hath dealt to each among you a measure of faith".
ADDITIONAL POINT 2
THE UNCONVERTED CANNOT PROPHESY ACCORDING TO THE PROPORTION OF FAITH. Furthermore Rom.12:6 tells us we are to prophesy according to the proportion of faith. A man in the world cannot prophesy, he needs to know the gospel to be able to prophesy. Prophesying being preaching truths of Jesus to edify others, as we are told in Revelation 19:10 the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. Now the things of God are not revealed to the man in the world for they are Spiritually discerned and the natural man receive not the things of God (1Cor.2:14) thus he cannot prophesy of the things of Jesus. Thus a man in the world cannot prophesy according to some measure of believing as some think faith is, the ability to believe does not give one the ability to discern spiritual things, that they may understand and prophesy to edify others (1COR.13:2 & 14:3 tells us prophecy gives us understanding of the mystery of the gospel that we edify others).
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